1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an internal combustion engine which includes a plurality of hydraulic clutches, a plurality of hydraulic controlling valves for individually controlling the oil pressure for the hydraulic clutches, and a plurality of clutch oil pressure sensors for individually detecting the controlling oil pressure of controlling oil supplying paths interconnecting the hydraulic controlling valves and the hydraulic clutches. The hydraulic (oil pressure) controlling valves individually correspond to the hydraulic clutches and each has a valve housing and a valve body accommodated in the valve housing attached to a cover member. The cover member configures part of an engine main body and covers the hydraulic clutches, so as to control the oil pressure of the hydraulic clutches and a cover side supply oil path, which configures part of a plurality of controlling oil supply oil paths which individually connect the plural oil pressure controlling valves. Because the hydraulic clutches are provided in the cover member, the supply oil path structure of the hydraulic clutch is improved.
2. Description of Background Art
In the internal combustion engine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-197662, a single oil pressure sensor for detecting an oil pressure to be supplied to a single hydraulic clutch is attached to an engine main body. However, in an internal combustion engine which includes a plurality of hydraulic clutches, in order to control connection/disconnection of the hydraulic clutches, a plurality of oil pressure sensors individually corresponding to the hydraulic clutches are required, and if it is attempted to provide the oil pressure sensors along oil paths disposed in different directions from each other, then the space necessary for the disposition of the oil pressure sensors becomes great. Therefore, there is the possibility that increase in size of the internal combustion engine may be invited.
A supply oil path structure for a clutch with a pair of controlling oil supply oil paths for supplying controlling oil to a pair of hydraulic clutches provided in a crossing relationship with each other in a cover member which covers the hydraulic clutches is known from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-351274.
However, in the supply oil path structure for a clutch disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-351274, it is necessary to provide the controlling oil supply oil paths in pair in a spaced relationship from each other in the thicknesswise direction of the cover member on the cover member. Therefore, the cover member has an increased size, which gives rise to increase in size of the internal combustion engine.